20 Cool Hostels In Europe For Every Traveler Who’s On A Budget

Hostels are no longer lousy, cheap temporary stays you’d love to escape as fast as you could, but trendy and stylish hubs, competing with each other in terms of creativity and extra free perks. Here’s a list of 20 affordable and cool hostels around Europe you may want to stay in for months!

This is a Vintage, apartment styled hostel, situated in a 19th century mansion at the very heart of Budapest. With a warm and cozy atmosphere with a touch of former imperial bliss, Lavender circus is a perfect place for couples seeking romance and privacy, yet are not ready to splurge.

There once was a notorious military prison that no one ever managed to escape. It used to be even more protected than the US Alcazar! The building is said to be haunted, so good luck wandering around this place at night! Are you ready to spend a night at an authentic prison bunk or an iron bed, and to try to enjoy a typical prison meal? P.S. Visitors are bound to sign a release form acknowledging that they will be treated as a prisoner and verbally abused. Ah, and yes, expect to get punished with physical exercises for inappropriate behavior.

Attractions: free historic tour around the prison and the museum is included into your stay. Other attarctions: a nearby grand fortress and the Karosta canal – main parts of the military complex of Karosta; Maritime Cathedral of St. Nikolay; Officers’ Palace.

This quirky styled hostel is welcoming you with a wholehearted warmth of your grandma (babushka). All the rooms are decorated in rustic vintage style with chandeliers, floral wallpapers, gold gilded ceilings, red patterned rugs styled after the palace of an 18th century Odessa aristocrat. There’s even a fireplace available in the common area!

Prices: 7€ per dorm; 11€ per private room.

Location: at the city center, close to all the main attractions in Odessa. 15 min away from Arcadia neighborhood with best beaches and clubs.

This is the one and only boutique hostel in Bosnia, Franz Ferdinand was designed and launched by a bunch of young architects and artists, telling you the story of assassination of the Austro-Hungarian Archduke – a mysterious event that initiated the First World War! Modern, quirky designed rooms with large pictures will leave you impressed, along with how little the price will seem for such an impeccable stay!

Prices: start from 9.90€ per bed in dorm; 15.90€ per private double.

Location: city center, Jelića Street, one turn from the main pedestrian street Ferhadija.

Facilities: reception 24/7; free wi-fi and computer access; free breakfasts and unlimited coffee and tea supply; TV, games and cool music in common area.

Attractions: a few minutes away from the old part of the town, famous Baščaršija and the Sacred Heart Cathedral in the opposite direction.

Did you love playing in a tree house when you were a kid? Or did you grew up in the city, envious of those TV kids who had one? Enjoy your siesta up in the branches with a terrific view of the National Park of Olympos and gorgeous beach waiting for you down your rope ladder at Kadir’s Tree House!

Vivid, stylish and affordable Generator is a perfect place to stay in such a vibrant city as Barcelona. It seems like the designers team have pulled all of the color from the streets right into the rooms inside! Add up bright colorful lanterns everywhere, floors forged with ornate Hungarian tiles and a huge terrace with best views of the city. Fiesta never ends at this place!

Prices: dorms from 11.40€ per night; privates from 21.60€

Location: in the heart of the stylish Gracia neighborhood, 5 min walk to two main metro stations, Diagonal and Verdaguer.

Nope, staying in a real 800-years old castle won’t ruin your budget! In fact, it’s one of the most affordable lodings located at this beautiful English country side. As it usually does, the castle is thought to be haunted and you’d definitely hear the story about a baby crying out in the night for a few times. All rooms are full of character with original stone walls and furniture features from the Victorian period.

Attractions: Explore atmospheric Clearwell Cave nearby; get lost at the Puzzlewood forest with numerous trails and rock formations inspired by Tolkien; go ape at the rope park nearby or get to know the local history at Dean Heritage Centre.

This cute eco-farm, located at the charming Saaremaa countryside, is a perfect place to unite with Mother Nature and taste rustic, organic food grown by the owners. Animal lovers will be thrilled to know there are 180 sheep and lambs on the farm, plus: goats, rabbits, chickens and cats to play with!

Incredibly chic boutique hostel situated at the beginning of the Latin Quarter – one of the most gorgeous and less-touristy districts in Paris. Bright, spacious dorms for 4 people and super friendly stuff to show you around and spill a few secret places where Parisians usually hang out. Even though Paris is a pretty pricey city to visit, you can still have awesome times here on a limited budget!

Prices: from 27€ per dorm; 70€ per private.

Location: at the beginning of Latin Quarter, close to Line 6 and Line 7 metro stops.

Attractions: within the walking distance is the glorious Sorbonne University, The Pantheon and Jardin des Plantes; direct metro lines to the Louvre, Arc de Triomphe; Champs Elysées and the Eiffel Tower (of course); Marais and Montmartre neighborhoods.

As a perfect example of simple, yet sophisticated Scandi design, Dream Hostel has been named #1 Hostel in Finland in 2013! Modern funky decor, warm hospitality of the local stuff and highly-reasonable prices, along with cozy rooms and central location makes this place so attractive.

Prices: from 19.80€ for a bed in 16 mix dorm; privates from 62€ per night.

Location: situated in the university neighborhood area Tulli, 5 minutes away from Tampere train station.

Facilities: free Wi-fi, bed linen, luggage storage, lockers, tea and coffee, laid back company and excellent atmosphere. You can also borrow a book to read or an umbrella for the rainy day.

Read Next

Arguably, Lisbon’s is the best city in Europe for budget travelers and the Independente hostel is a perfect place where you can get luxury service for a frugal wallet. Situated in a former Swiss Ambassador’s residence, the place was set up by three brothers as meeting point where travelers as well as locals can mingle together. The Independente design is a mix of modern details with original architectural features and cool vintage items with 11 comfy dorm rooms, 4 private suites and a rooftop terrace with awesome views of the city!

Prices: from 10.92€ for dorm and 85€ per suit.

Location: Set on the border of the Principe Real and Bairro Alto districts and a few minutes away from Rossio train station.

Attractions: across the road is the São Pedro de Alcântara viewpoint with marvelous views of Tagus river, the downtown Lisbon districts and the iconic St. George’s Castle. Close to Ascensor da Glória, one of this city’s oldest funicular route connecting hill-top Liberdade Avenue with historical Baixa district.

Craving to have an awesome party at Florence? Check in at Plus Hostel with free outdoor pool, sauna and awesome terrace bar with epic fiestas till late. Now this may not be a particularly relaxing place, but definitely the one to meet new cool people from all over the world! The hostel offers stylish triple and doubles suites, along with 4,6,8 people mixed-dorms just 10 min away from Duomo Cathedral.

Prices: from 24.96€ per dorm; 44.16€ per double room.

Location: 10 minute stroll from the train station; close to the City Center.

Once a Frón factory, producing Iceland’s favorite biscuits, the Mjólkurkex, today a nifty eco-hostel blending vintage industrial vibes with an eclectic, contemporary details. The furniture here is almost entirely recycled and second-handed, but you would have never guessed it if I haven’t spilled it to you. Hostel designer Halfdan Pedersen spent weeks at the auctions all around Europe and even in the USA, bringing home authentic Amish church benches and Bauhaus lamps from Pittsburgh. Kex hostel quickly became a top meeting point both for locals and travelers, hanging out at the local resto or bar, serving craft beer. There’s also a barbershop for a quick trim, plus a gym called Box for sparring.

Prices: from 20.54€ per dorm, €42.79 per double private.

Location: in the center of Reykjavik, with a view across the sea to Mt. Esja across the bay.

Attractions: unusual Hallgrímskirkja church is a few blocks away. Get all the way up for amazing panoramic views of colorful Reykyavik down below; soak at funky Lagafellslaug in Mosfellsbaer pool and take a trip to Grotta Lighthouse.

Another excellent spot for party animals! The owners love to host themed parties at the attached pub – think all you-can-drink beer and vodka festivals, plus cheap pub crawls around peppy and sparkling Krakow. The local resto stays open till late for your well-after-midnight snack and quoting the staff: “Even the toilets are good enough to sleep in”.

Prices: from 14.42€ per dorm.

Location: 10 min from the Main Bus and the Train Station at Stare Misto district – the Oldest part of Krakow.

Attractions: if you had your fair share of drinking adventures already, wander around the narrow lanes of the Old Historic City Center and take a walk to stunning Wawel Royal Castle and nearby cathedral.

The sexiest and craziest hostel in Prague rated as “Best Hostel in the Czech Republic” and “6th Best Small Hostel Worldwide” by Hostelworld! As the owners proudly claim MadHouse is not just a place to sleep, but a home away from home, where you are treated as a family. All the rooms are covered with jazzy and bizarre graffiti made by artists from Montreal, Canada (Pito and Guko) and Dan from Melbourne, Australia.

Prices: from €15.98 per dorm.

Location: city Center, close toNárodní třída Line B Metro station

Facilities: free Wi-fi; huge common area and TV room; lockers, luggage storage, hot showers and free linen, self-service kitchen with free tea and coffee, cool events held on the weekends.

Attractions: within the walking distance from Old Town Square and amazing Astronomical clock, close to Charles Bridge and Mala Strana historic district.

Selected as one of the top three hotels in Eastern Europe by Hostel Bookers, Soul Kitchen welcomes you with warm hugs even in chilly Russian winters. Located in 150-year old neo-baroc building, which is an attraction of it’s own as a few scenes from Bulgakov’s “The Master and Margarita” film were shot here. The owners managed to preserve original 19th century wood-fired oven, that is still in use today, along with original wooden and tile floors all over the property.

This trendy, multifunctional space hostel with a great central location is a perfect place to stay for budget-savvy travelers on a mission to explore the best of Belgrade. An ample common area with bright bean bags and comfy sofas, along with nice modern dorms and lovely stuff are just a few reasons why you should consider staying at Fair Hostel.

Prices: dorms from 8€; privates 16€ per night for two.

Location: central, within 3 stops from Belgrade Bus and Train station or 20 min by foot.

Red boat Mälaren is a lovely hostel aboard two charming boats, swaying at the waves of lake Mälaren at the very heart of Stockholm. The rooms may not be as spacious, yet they are cozy and well-organized with enough space for everyone. Now, would you like to fall asleep watching endless boats pass by your window?

Prices: €34.80 for 4-bed dorm; from €30.87 per privates.

Location: within a few minutes away from the Old City Center; 10 min by foot to the nearest metro station.

Sky backpackers in a vibrant place where the world of music and travel collide. Located at the former recording studio, where The Cranberries, David Bowie, Def Leppard, Van Morrison and U2 once recorded their hits, the owners love to host plugged and unplugged gigs regularly in the common area. Stuff is fantastically friendly and will give you some awesome tips on how to spend time in Dublin on a shoestring budget.

How to Use Credit Cards While Staying Out of Debt

Many people will suggest that the best thing to do with your credit cards during these tough economic times is to cut them up with a pair of scissors. Indeed, if you are already in huge debt, you probably should stop using them and begin a payback strategy immediately. However, if you are not currently in trouble with your credit cards, there are wise ways to use them.

I happen to really love my credit cards so I will share with you my approach to how I use mine without getting into deep financial trouble.

Ever since about 1983 when I got my first Visa card, I continue to charge as many of my purchases as possible on credit. Everything from gas, groceries and monthly payments for services like my cable and home security monitoring are charged on credit. Despite my heavy usage, I have maintained the joy of never paying any interest fees at all on any of my credit cards.

Advertising

Here are some tips on how best to use your credit cards without falling into the trap of paying those nasty double-digit interest fees.

Do Not Treat Credit Cards as Your Funding Sources

Too many people treat their credit cards as funding sources for major purchases. Do not do this if you want to stay out of trouble. I use my credit cards as convenient financial instruments so I do not have to carry around much cash. In fact, I hate carrying cash, especially coins. When you buy things on credit, the purchases are clean and you will not get annoying coins back as change.

I do not rely on my Visa, MasterCard or American Express to fund any of my purchases, large or small. This brings me to my golden rule when it comes to whether I will pull out any of my credit cards either at a retail or online store.

Advertising

I never purchase anything with my credit cards if I do not have the actual cash on hand in my bank account.

If I really cannot pay for the item or service with cash that I already have at the bank, then I simply will not make the purchase. Remember, my credit cards are not used as funding sources. They are just convenient alternatives to actual cash in my pocket.

Make Sure to Always Pay Off Balances in Full Each Month

The next very important part of my overall strategy is to make absolutely sure that I pay the balances in full each and every month no matter how large they are. This should never be a problem if the cash has been budgeted for my purchases and secured in the bank. I have always paid my full balances each month ever since my very first credit card and this is why I never pay interest charges.

Advertising

Read Next

Using Credit Cards with Rewards

Most of my credit cards are of the “no annual fees” type, including one MasterCard on a separate account I keep at home as a spare in case I lose my wallet or incur any fraudulent charges. However, I do use a main Visa card which does have an annual fee because all purchases on that card reward me with airline frequent flyer points. For me, the annual fee is worth it since I do travel and I get enough points to redeem many free flights.

You have to decide for yourself if you will charge enough purchases on credit each year without paying interest charges to warrant a credit card that rewards you with airline points (or other rewards). In my case, the answer is “yes” but that might not be the case for you.

I occasionally use a MasterCard or American Express card on small purchases just to keep those accounts active. Also, I have been to the odd retailer that accepted only a certain type of credit card, so I find that having one from each major company is quite handy. Aside from my main Visa card which earns the airline points, the rest of my cards are of the “no annual fees” variety.

Advertising

So this is how I use my credit cards without getting into any financial trouble with them. This strategy is recommended only if you are not in debt, of course. In fact, it is worth keeping in mind once you’re out of debt so that you can keep your credit cards active and treat them responsibly.

What are your credit card usage strategies? Let me know in the comments — I’d love to hear what methods you use.